Toy objects



July 17, 1962 F. PALM 3,044,211

TOY OBJECTS Filed July 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l Iz/nzor.' J4 4 Flix Palwz Bey/mlm, M W

July 17, 1962 F. PALM 3,044,211

TOY OBJECTS Filed July 17, 1959 Fla-7.61

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,044,211 TGY OBJECTS Felix Palm, 2241 W. Greenleaf Ave., Chicago 45, Ill. Filed July 17, 1959, Ser. No. 827,878 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-11) My invention relates to cardboard box conversions, and more speciiically a method of converting cardboard boxes such as cereal boxes and the like into toys or novelty objects, land to boxes of this character, appropriately marked and bearing instructions for making such objects.

It is well known that the sales of breakfast cereals and other household materials packaged in comparable boxes enjoy substantially greater sales when more than just the packaged commodity is provided. These extra sales inducements may take the form of enclosures, boxtop premium offers, games or novelties printed on the cardboard of the carton, etc. My invention is directed to the fabrication of toy objects from cereal boxes and the like by a simple cutting, folding, removal of certain areas, etc., according to appropriate instructions on `the box after the contents of the box have been exhausted, to provide such additional sales value.

In the following description, I have described my invention as particularly applied to the construction of -a toy barn or comparable toy building and an Easter box from representative cereal boxes or similar containers.

yOne object of my invention, therefore, may be regarded as a method for converting cardboard containers such as cereal boxes and the like into models, toys and novelties. More specifically, this object may be regarded as a method for making such objects as model buildings or baskets from such boxes.

Another object of my -invention is the provision of a model building or basket made from -a pickage of this character. Still another object resides in the design and marking of a container of this type, whereby such models, toys or novelties may be easily constructed from them in simple fashion, while at the same time ample exterior box surface is left for labels, advertising matter, instructions, etc.

A still further object of my invention resides in the marking of a cereal box for lthe construction of model buildings, baskets, etc. therefrom, so that such toys may be easily constructed fro-m the box by a very young child.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following directions and drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a cereal box shown front face up, marked and cut away in part in accordance with one application of my invention as a step in the construction of a toy barn therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the box of FIG. l shown back face up;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the box of FIG. 1 showing the barn in a further stage of construction;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of a completed barn made from the box of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section through the ybarn of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cereal box, front face up, marked and partially cut away as a. stage in the construction of a portable basket therefrom;

FIG. 7 is -a perspective view of the box of FIG. 6 shown back face up;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing, however, the box in a further stage of construction;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing the completed box; .and

FIG. l0 is a vertical transverse section through the iill Patented July l?, 1952 box of FIG. 9 taken on the line lti-ltl of FIG. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In FIG. 1 is shown a cereal box I0 which is representative of the type of package to which my -invention is directed. It will be appreciated, of course, that my invention may be applied to any rectangular cardboard box or container, but a cereal box is a package to which my invention is particularly likely to be applied.

FIG. l shows the box with the front face or side I2 up, that being the side intended to carry the trademark, advertising, etc. In the practice of my invention, that side will have indicated -a central transverse line 14 along which that side is to be cut, and score lines 16, parallel to and spaced somewhat from line 14, along which that side of the box is to be folded. It will be appreciated that these lines may be indicated by marks at the side of the face of the cereal box rather than by lines extending across the face of the box if such lines should be found to impair or detract from the advertising value of the front face of the box.

The back 18 of the box as seen in FIG. 2 is printed with the representation of a barn side Ztl at the ends thereof, and the central portion 22 may be printed with the representation of a roof. The back 18 is marked with l a central transverse score line 24 aand two score lines 26 at the meeting edges of the central roof area 22 and the end, barn-side areas 20. The roof, in this embodiment, is a simple gable roof, but other roof forms are well within the capability of my invention.

The ends 28 of the box are unmarked for purposes of the practice of my invention andare available for display space.

The sides 30 of the box are employed to represent the ends of the barn. Each end 32 of the sides of the box is imprinted with a representation of a vertical half barn end. The barn end halves are oriented with their bottom edges at the sideends 34,' the outer end of the roof line 35 meeting the back sides 18 of the box at the end of line 26 and the roof peak meeting the ends of the score lines 16 on the front face l2 of the box at points 3S. It will be appreciated that a central trapezoidal `area 40 is defined in the center of the cereal box sides between the barn end halves which requires no marking and is thus available for display space.

In the course of marking the container for conversion -to the illustrated barn, the siding and roofing, together with windows 42, doors 44 and hay doors 46, may be printed on the back 18 and sides 30 of the box to make the completed barn more realistic in detail and thus more attractive to children.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that certain of the lines provided on the cereal box in the pursuance of my invention are to indicate folds and other lines to indicate lines of cutting. Either type of line may be simply printed on the box or some, particularly those indicating the lines of cut, may be perforated so that the toy may be made without the use of scissors.

It is believed that the construction of the toy barn from the cereal box as described above will be evident from the drawings. The trapezoidal areas 40 are cut away from the sides of the box. The front face of the box is cut transversely across on line 14. The areas on either side of line 14 between the cut edge and the parallel lines 16 are creased inwardly along lines 16 to provide strengthening tabs 4S.

Glue or paste may be applied to the outside surface of the tabs 48 (the exposed surface of FIG. l) `and the tabs bent to conform to the `angle the barn roof makes with the vertical.

The back of the box is folded along line 24 and again along lines 26 to dene the ridge and the outer edges of the roof. The barn halves on the end portions of the box 3 are then rolled toward each other as illustrated successively in FlIG. 3 and FIG. 5, so as first to bring the tabs 48 against the underside of the roof surface on either side of the ridge line 24, as particularly seen in FIG. 3, and then further rolled to form the angularity of the roof and bring the two portions of the front face of the box together, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Paste or glue may be applied to the outside surfaces of the front face portions to secure them together against one another; Alternatively, the two halves of the barn may be secured together in the relation of FIG. 5, by pressure-sensitive adhesive tape extending across the bottom of the barn.

It will be appreciated that the tabs 48 will inevitably exist in that, no matter what the pitch of the roof, the roof peak points of each barn half must be somewhat separated from each other. The distance from the eaves line 26 -to the center line 24 of the roof isnecessarily shorter than a line extending from the eaves line 26 angularly across the sides of the box to the line of cutting 14.

FIGS. 6 through Vl0, showing an Easter basket, are illustrative of another way in which a breakfast food box or comparable container may be used for toy construction. ln FIG. 6, the cereal box is shown front side 52 up. This side again is entirely available for brand name, advertising, instructions, etc. The box ends 54 constitute the bottom of the basket and therefore they likewise are freely available for display. The box sides 56 have a large central portion cut away as will be later described and this center portion is therefore also available vfor display.

In this application of my invention, the box is so marked as to deiine two end receptacle portions 58. These portions together constitute the body or base 60 of the basket, the ends S4 of the box together comprising the bottom of the basket. ,The receptacle portions are defined generally by areas to be cuit out of the central portion of the box, all of these areas being based generally on lines 62 which dene the top edge of the basket or receptacle portions 58. Y

The sides S6 of the box are cut away nearly entirely between lines 62 so as to leave only two small tabs 64, connected on each side to the back side of the box. The tabs are separated by a central notch 66 extending to the back face of the box. The front face of the box is cutaway at its sides between lines 62 to lines 68 inwardly of the side edges of .the front face 52. The removal of these portions'of the front face results in a broad strap interconnecting the end receptacle portions 58. Rectangular areas deiined by lines 724 and extending to lines 62 are removed from the strap so as to convert the strap into an H-shaped link 70 having a crosspiece 74 of substantialwidth in the center of the front face of the box. A score or crease line 76 is marked ,on the precise transverse center line of the box face extending longitudinally of the crosspiece 74.

The back 78 of Ithe box is particularly illustrated in FIG. 7. The back of .theV box is markedfor the removal of a central vtransverse strip to dene a slot 80. The slot 80 is wide enough to receive comfortably,

but ,.snugly, Va doubled thickness of the cardboard of which the box is made and isl slightly longer than the width of the H-shaped link.

Fold lines 82 are indicated on the back of thebox,

Vclose and parallel to slot 80. Lines 84 are indicated which extend from the ends of lines 82 to the base line 62. Lines 84 and the portion of lines 62 between lines 84 are to be cut. To make the basket from the box, the indicated cutting operations are performed to remove the indicated box portions or partially detach them as the case may be. FIGS. 6and 7 are illustrative of a box so prepared. Thereafter, the ends of the ybox are rolled toward each other in a direction to fold or collapse the H-shaped link 70. The link 70vis creased along score line 76 so that the link collapses inwardly. Upon further rolling, the

two edges of the link come together and the fold 75 is guided through slot 80. The rolling is further continued until the front face portions 52 of the box ends corne together as best illustrated in FIG. 9. In the course of the nal rolling of the box ends or receptacle portions, the tabs 64 are guided to lodge inside the box ends as best seen in FIG. 8. The notches 66 are provided to permit edges 62 ofthe front face to lie at against the back side of the box. The front face portions SZ of the receptacle may be glued or pasted together so as to hold the basket in its nished form illustrated in FIG. 9 or, again, pressure-sensitive tape may be used across the two parts of the bottom of the basket.

It will be appreciated that the folded H-shaped link 76'- constitutes a handle of double thickness and strength in'. the completed basket and semi-detached ilaps 36 definedv by crease lines 82 and lines of cut 62 and 3d constitute; covers for the basket halves.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description` that I havedevised an entirely new and novel use for' cardboard containers such as cereal boxes and the like,A whereby such containers, after their contents are ex hausted, can be used to make various objects of a novel nature which should substantially enhance the sales value of the packaged products. The principle of conversion implicit in my invention is one which will provide entertainment and res-ult in as substantial and sturdy devices as the nature of the material permits. My invention further permits the making of a pre-decorated object witnout visiblemanufacturers markings or labels thereon, from a container which .possesses ample room for trade names andV advertising, including one entire face of the carton.

The generic feature underlying the above-described embodiments of my invention is, of course, dividing the object to be formed into two halves and so designing the object that it may be constructed by cutting away or providing for a collapse of a central portion of the container and thereafter folding the container so that each part thereof on either side of the fold may constitute one of the halves of the object. It is this folding which makes. possible the unmarked, one face of the container for advertising or display space (that being the surface of in ward folding) while at the same time permitting'a printing of the container appropriate to the object so that when the object is completely constructed all exterior surfaces. thereof are appropriately ornamented or colored.

It should, of course, be understood that while I have frequently referred herein .to cereal boxes as being useful in carrying out my invention, boxes and containers of a wide variety of types and sizes may also be used for that purpose. Indeed, much larger paperboard or card board or similar material cartons may be used without departing from the teachings set forth herein and it should be understood that such container are also included when I have referred to cereal boxes.

It will be understood that I have described above ernbodiments only of my invention and that my invention should be regarded as being limited only as set forth in the following claims.

'I claim: l. A cardboard container comp-rising a front, wide rectangular face printed to identify the contents of said container, a rear, wide rectangular face the same size and shape as said front face printed on both sides of its transverse centerline with the printing on either side o-f the transverse centerline similarly directionally oriented with respect to said centerline, rectangular side panels connecting the corresponding long edges of said front and back panels, rectangular end panels connecting the corresponding short edges of said front and back faces, said Vend and said panels cooperatively positioned wtih said front and rear faces to form a closed container, lines indicating where to cut said front face and said side panels with said lines across said side panels non-divergent away from said rear face, to produce an opening across said front face and across said side panels symmetrical about the centerline of said front face, a plurality of scored lines across said rear panel which are parallel to each other and to the transverse centerline across said rear panel with said scored lines positioned with respect to said cutting lines whereby when severance is effected along said cutting lines, the rear face is adapted to be folded along said scored lines to bring the uncut portions of said front face on opposite sides of said transverse centerline into contact with each other to form a toy with the front face hidden from View.

2. A cardboard container comprising a `front wide rectangular face printed to identify the contents of said container, a rear wide rectangular face the same size and shape a-s the front face printed about its transverse centerline to define central roof sections and marginal Wall sections with scored lines at the intersections of said roof sections `and Wall sections and along said transverse centerline, rectangular side panels connecting the corresponding long edges of said front and back faces, rectangular end panels connecting the corresponding short edges of said faces, said side panels and end panels cooperatively positioned with said front and rear faces to form a closed container, `a transverse centerline on said front face indicating Where said front face should be out, scored transverse lines parallel to said last mentioned centerline and spaced symmetrically on either side of it, straight lines indicating where cutting should be effected connecting the points where said parallel scored transverse lines intersect @the lines Where said front face intersects said side panels, then connecting the ends of the parallel scored lines on said front face to the ends of the scored lines between the Wall sections `and roof section on said rear face and then between the ends of the `last mentioned scored ylines whereby diagonal lines that converge away from said roof section result across said side panels, the positions of said scored lines on said front panel and said rear panel being such that the resultant diagonal lines are one half the length of said roof section.

3. A cardboard container comprising a front wide rec tangular face printed to identify the contents of said container, a rear Wide rectangular face of the same size and shape as' said front face printed on both sides of its transl verse centerline similarly directionally oriented with respect to said centerline, rectangular side panels connecting the corresponding long edges of said front and back faces, rectangular end panels connecting t-he corresponding short edges of said front and back faces, said end and side panels cooperatively positioned With said front and rear faces to forma closed container, lines indicating Where to cut the front face inwardly yfrom the intersection of said front face with each side panel parallel to the transverse centerline and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the width of said side panel, said lines extending toward the longitudinal centerline of said front face to points from about 5 to `about 8 from each other, said lines extending across said panels perpendicular to` the longitudinal axis thereof to the intersection of said side panels with said rear face, said front `face scored on its transverse centerline and slotted symmetrically about said transverse centerline and said longitudinal centerline With slots labout 3" to about 5" in length `and at least 2" in Width spaced with their long axis parallel to the transverse centerline, spaced symmetrically on either side of said transverse centerline and intersecting the longitudinal centerline, lines indicating the position to cut said rear face in ya slot symmetrical about and including the transverse centerline of said rear face, said slot being not in excess of 1" in Width and being greater in length than the width of the remaining portion of said front face.

4. The container of claim 1 further characterized in .that said lines indicating the position to cut are perforated lines which may be severed. by punching-out.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,662,106 Blum Mar. 13, 1928 2,327,049 Kner Aug.' 17, 1943 2,723,488 Ringler Nov. l5, 1955 

